Peter Elder of Virginia

Riggs Notes ─ Generation 8 ─ Hezekiah and Annis Riggs

Summary

Hezekiah Riggs was born in 1790 in Connecticut. Annis Rigby Riggs was born about 1793 in Connecticut. They married in 1809, moved to Steuben County, New York, by 1820 and then moved to Washtenaw County, Michigan, by 1829. They had 11 children. He died in 1875 in Ingham County, Michigan; her death date hasn't been determined.

Records

These are the principal records for Hezekiah and Annis:

  1. The Abner Riggs family record gives data for Hezekiah Riggs and his parents' family [Genealogical Records, MSDAR, 1941, volume 16, page 84, Family Record of Abner and Phebe (Rowland) Riggs, contributed by Cora Ingersoll Whiting]:

    Abner Riggs was born 24 Dec 1760
    Phebe Rowland was born 26 May 1764,
    married 22 Aug 1780
    Abner Riggs died 1 Oct 1818
    Phebe Riggs died 19 Mar 1824

    Name Born Married Died
    Abner Jr 4 May 1782 23 Jan 1803 10 Dec 1806
    Amos 2 May 1784 16 Feb 1806
    Mary 22 Feb 1786 7 Oct 1813
    Joseph P 3 Mar 1788
    Hezekiah 10 Jun 1790 13 Sep 1809
    Leviah 6 Aug 1792 3 Apr 1813
    Huldah 10 Jul 1796
    Nancy 14 Oct 1802 17 Mar 1820 23 Jun 1826

  2. H. Riggs appeared as head of household in the 1810 Census of Oxford, New Haven County, Connecticut [record]:

    [1810 Census of New Haven County, Connecticut, Oxford, Series M252, Roll 2, Page 545]

    Age
    Range    		 Free
    White
    Males    		 Free
    White
    Females
    Under 10 0 0
    10 – 15 1 0
    16 – 25 1 1
    26 – 44 0 0
    45 & over 0 0

    E. Riggs, A. Riggs, and J. Riggs appeared on the same page.

  3. Hezekiah Riggs appeared as head of household in the 1820 Census of Troupsburg, Steuben County, New York [record]:

    [1820 Census of Steuben County, New York, Troupsburg, Series M33, Roll 74, Page 220]

    Age
    Range    		 Free
    White
    Males    		 Free
    White
    Females
    Under 10 2 3
    10 – 15 0 0
    16 – 18 0
    16 – 25 0 0
    26 – 44 1 1
    45 & over 0 0

    Joseph P. Riggs appeared on the same page.

  4. On early settlers of Lima Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan:

    Among the other early settlers was Hezekiah Riggs, the first blacksmith of the town. He came in 1829.

    Hezekiah Riggs, noticed in reference to the first blacksmith, traded a span of horses with Samuel Clements in the year 1829, for the west half of the north quarter of section 25.

    [Beakes, Past and Present of Washtenaw County, Michigan, 1906, pages 573 and 806]
     
  5. Hezekiah Riggs appeared as head of household in the 1830 Census of Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, Michigan Territory [record]:

    [1830 Census of Washtenaw County, Michigan Territory, Ann Arbor, Series M19, Roll 69, Page 153]

    1830 Census Under 5 5- 9 10- 14 15- 19 20- 29 30- 39 40- 49 50- 59 60- 69
    Males 1 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0
    Females 1 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 0

    Joseph P. Riggs appeared on the same page.

  6. These are two early Riggs marriages in Washtenaw County [Marriages 1827-1857 in Washtenaw County, Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1961]:

    Hiram D. Cory and Harriett Riggs married 14 Jul 1833, O-135 (Hiram and Harriett Cory lived in Ingham County in 1850; she was 34, born in New York)

    Amos Riggs and Esther Griffith married 8 Jun 1834, O-261 (An Amos Riggs appeared on the same page as Hezekiah in the 1840 Census of Ingham County (record 9))

  7. Hezekiah Riggs had three land patents in Washtenaw County, Michigan, in the 1830s [Bureau of Land Management - General Land Office Records, found at http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/Logon/Logon_Form.asp?] [records]:

    Patent dated 8 Oct 1835: 40 acres, being the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 28

    Patent dated 10 Apr 1837: 80 acres, being the west half of the southeast quarter of Section 2

    Patent dated 3 Aug 1939: 40 acres, being the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 22

  8. Hezekiah Riggs and wife Annis and J. P. Riggs and wife Lodema sold to Thomas T. Royce, 12 Feb 1838, for $1000, land in Section 2 of Waterloo Township; witnesses Cyrus Beckwith, A. H. Beckwith, and Polly Davison [6-378]

    Thomas T. Royce of Washtenaw County sold to Hezekiah Riggs of Jackson County, 12 Feb 1838, for $1000, land in Ingham County; witnesses Cyrus Beckwith and A. H. Beckwith [6-379]

    [Michigan Genealogical Records Committee, DAR, Jackson County, Michigan, Land Records, volume 1, libers I to IV (at DAR)]

  9. Hezekiah Rigs appeared as head of household in the 1840 Census of Ingham County, Michigan [record]:

    [1840 Census of Ingham County, Michigan, White Oak, Series M704, Roll 205, Page 92]

    1840 Census Under 5 5- 9 10- 14 15- 19 20- 29 30- 39 40- 49 50- 59 60- 69
    Males 1 2 1 1 1 0 1 0 0
    Females 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0

    Amos Rigs and Nelson Rigs appeared on the same page.

  10. George Sly (age 32, Grass Lake, Jackson County) and Samantha Riggs (age 28, White Oak) married 3 Feb 1841, William Ballantine J. P. officiating, witnesses Clinton Riggs and Hezekiah Riggs (White Oak) [Ingham County, Michigan, Marriages, 1838-1867, 1-44 (at DAR)]
     
  11. Hezekiah Riggs appeared as head of household in the 1850 Census of Ingham County, Michigan [record]

    [1850 Census of Ingham County, Michigan, Township of White Oak, enumeration date 19 Sep 1850, Series M432, Roll 351, Pages 100B-101A]

    Names Age Sex Occupation Value -
    Real Estate    		 Birthplace
    Hezekiah Riggs 59 M Farmer 1000 CT
    Annis Riggs 57 F CT
    Bunet Riggs 17 M Farmer MI
    Hamilton Riggs 15 M ditto MI
    Alba W. Riggs 13 M MI
    Elizabeth N. Baldwin 20 F NY
    Allen Baldwin 6/12 M MI
    William M. Riggs 25 M Farmer NY

    Note: Allen Baldwin (age 23, White Oak) and Nancy E. Riggs (age 19, White Oak) married 31 Dec 1848, George J. Sly J. P. officiating, witnesses William McGee and Chapin F. Chadwick (White Oak) [Ingham County, Michigan, Marriages, 1838-1867, 2-163 (at DAR)]

    George J. and Samantha Sly appeared on the second page. Samantha Sly's death record says she was born in Connecticut (she died 26 Feb 1892 at age 79 years and 3 days in Gratiot County, Michigan; her parents weren't identified in the record).

  12. Hezekiah Riggs appeared in the Census of Agriculture for Stockbridge Township, Ingham County, Michigan in 1850:

    Acres of land: 65 improved; 35 unimproved
    Cash value: farm $1000; implements: $50
    Livestock: horses-2; milch cows-2; other cattle-12; sheep-13; swine-3
    Value of livestock: $272
    Produce: Wheat-100 bu.; Indian corn-200 bu.; wool-30 lb.; peas & beans-3 bu.; Irish potato-30 bu.; buckwheat-60 bu.; butter-100 lb.; hay-20 tons
    Value of animals slaughtered: $38

    [1850 Nonpopulation Census, Products of Agriculture, Series T1164, Roll 2, page 737 (at National Archives)]

  13. Two Riggs marriages occurred in Ingham County in 1855 [Ingham County, Michigan, Marriages, 1838-1867 (at DAR)]:

    Burnett Riggs (age 23, White Oak) and Hannah Breed (age 17, Ingham Township) married 21 Mar 1855 at the house of Hezekiah Riggs (White Oak), George J. Sly J. P. officiating, witnesses Hanibal Riggs (Hamilton?) and Nancy E. Baldwin (White Oak), 2-309

    William M. Riggs (33, White Oak) and Sally Munson (45, White Oak) married 13 Sep 1855 at the house of Simon Munson (White Oak), George J. Sly J. P. officiating, witnesses John A. Sly and Abby Riggs (Abner?) (White Oak), 2-374

  14. H. Riggs appeared as head of household in the 1860 Census of Stockbridge, Ingham County, Michigan [record]

    [1860 Census of Ingham County, Michigan, Post Office Stockbridge, enumeration date 4 Jun 1860, Series M653, Roll 545, Page 12]

    Names Age Sex Occupation Value -
    Real Estate    		 Value -
    Personal Property    		 Birthplace
    H. Riggs 70 M Farmer 1000 450 CT
    O. Riggs 67 F CT
    A. W. Riggs 23 M Farmhand MI

  15. Hezekiah Riggs appeared in the Census of Agriculture for Stockbridge Township, Ingham County, Michigan in 1860:

    Acres of land: 40 improved; 40 unimproved
    Cash value: farm $1000; implements: $75
    Livestock: horses-2; milch cows-4; other cattle-5; sheep-15; swine-5
    Value of livestock: $385
    Produce: Wheat-5 bu.; Indian corn-150 bu.; oats-20 bu.; wool-35 lb.; Irish potato-160 bu.; orchard products $40; butter-400 lb.; cheese-150 lb.; hay-45 tons beeswax-15 lb.; honey-20 lb.
    Value of animals slaughtered: $80

    [1860 Nonpopulation Census, Products of Agriculture, Series T1164, Roll 9, page 3 (at National Archives)]

  16. Hezekiah Briggs (sic) appeared as head of household in the 1870 Census of Stockbridge, Ingham County, Michigan [record]:

    [1870 Census of Ingham County, Michigan, Stockbridge, enumeration date 27 Jun 1870, Series M593, Roll 675, Page 263]

    Names Age Sex Occupation Value -
    Real Estate    		 Value -
    Personal Property    		 Birthplace
    Briggs, Hezekiah 79 M Farmer CT
    Briggs, Annis 77 F Keeping House CT
    Briggs, Alba W. 34 M Farmer 1600 560 MI
    Briggs, Charity 35 M PA
    Briggs, Sarah J. 3 F MI
    Briggs, Mary H. 1 F MI

  17. A Hezekiah Riggs, resident of Stockbridge, Ingham County, Michigan, born in Connecticut, married, farmer, died 10 Nov 1875. His age was recorded as 40 years 4 months and 11 days, but Hezekiah Riggs was about 85 years old in 1875. Perhaps it's a recording error [record]
     
  18. These children of Hezekiah Riggs have been identified from death records:

    Wm M. Riggs, age 55 years and 6 months, born in New York to parents Hezekiah and Alice Riggs, married, farmer, died 18 Dec 1879 in White Oak, Ingham County, Michigan [record]

    Abner Nelson Riggs, age 76 years 8 months and 14 days, born in Steuben County, New York, to father Hezekiah Riggs (Connecticut) and mother Annis Rigbe (Connecticut), married, clergyman, died 3 Nov 1897 in Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, Michigan [record]

    Hamilton Riggs, born 17 Oct 1833 to father Hezekiah Riggs and unknown mother, died 19 Aug 1912 in Stockbridge, Ingham County, Michigan [record]

    Alba Washington Riggs, born 9 Nov 1834 in Jackson County to parents Hezekiah Riggs and Annis Rigby, widowed (wife Charity Bell), retired farmer, died 2 Mar 1919 in Stockbridge, Ingham County, Michigan [record]

Click on a link to see an abstract or copy of the record.

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Discussion of Records

What can one learn from these records?

Birth

Hezekiah Riggs was born in New Haven County, Connecticut, on 10 Jun 1790 (record 1).

Family

His father was Abner Riggs and his mother Phebe Rowland (record 1).

Marriage

Hezekiah Riggs married on 13 Sep 1809 (record 1), probably in Oxford, New Haven County, Connecticut (record 2).

Wife's Family

Annis Rigby was born about 1793 in Connecticut (Census records for 1850, 1860 and 1870). Death records of Abner and Alba give their mother's maiden name as Rigbe/Rigby (record 18). I haven't identified her parents.

Children

Hezekiah and Annis Riggs probably had 11 children (based on 1820-1840 Censuses and other records noted below):

male Riggs, born 1810-1815 (5-9 in 1820 Census)
female Riggs, born 1815-1820 (under 5 in 1820 Census)
Samantha Riggs, born 1813 in Connecticut (Hezekiah and Clinton Riggs witnessed her marriage (record 10))
Harriett Riggs, born about 1816 in New York (married in Washtenaw County, resided in Ingham County in 1850 (record 6))
Ebenezer Clinton Riggs, born about 1820 in New York (witnessed Samantha's marriage (record 10); lived in Ingham County in 1850)
Abner Nelson Riggs, born 1821 in New York (Hezekiah was named as father in Abner's 1897 death record)
William M. Riggs, born 1824 (Hezekiah was named as father in William's 1879 death record)
Elizabeth (Nancy) Riggs, born about 1830 (married 1848, resided with Hezekiah in 1850)
Burnett Riggs, born about 1833 (resided with Hezekiah in 1850; married at Hezekiah's house (record 13))
Hamilton Riggs, born about 1835 (Hezekiah was named as father in Hamilton's 1912 death record)
Alba Washington Riggs, born about 1837 (Hezekiah was named as father in Alba's 1919 death record)

The eldest male child may be Amos Riggs. The Amos Riggs family is listed next to the Clinton Riggs family in the 1850 Census of Ingham County, Michigan. Both Amos and Clinton were blacksmiths. Amos' age was 40, but he was listed as born in New York [Series M432, Roll 351, Page 88A].

Residences

Hezekiah and Annis Riggs lived in New Haven County, Connecticut, in Steuben County, New York, and in Washtenaw, Jackson, and Ingham counties in Michigan.

Death

Hezekiah Riggs died 10 Nov 1875 at Stockbridge, Ingham County, Michigan (record 17).

Wife's death

I haven't discovered where and when Annis Riggs died, but she was alive when Hezekiah died (he was married, not widowed, in 1875 when he died (record 17)).

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Land

[to be added]

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Contemporary Events

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References

[to be added]

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